Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume], April 17, 1941, SECTION B, Page 1, Image 13

About Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1931-1948

Image provided by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC

                
- THE ROANOKE RAPIDS_
SECTION "B" SECTION "B"
DIAL R-326 ALL DEP’TS_ THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1941 SECTION B_PAGE 1
DRIVES CAR FAR
INTO THICKET ON
OLD CANAL ROAD
_
Car Stalls Few
Feet Of Plunge
To Certain Death
"I intended to commit suicide”,
Walter Howell told officers here
in explaining why he drove his
new car to the brink of the old
canal at the “dam site” about four
miles up the river Tuesday morn
ing.
Howell, young white man whose
home is in the Belmont section
west of the city, further stated that
“things have been piling up on me
for some time and they were
getting to be more than I could
stand”.'
He did not explain what the
“things” referred to were.
Young Howell was found in the
partially wrecked machine asleep
early Tuesday morning by Whit
Nemsom, who had gone to the river
in that section to fish. Newsom said
that the man was asleep in the
rear seat of the new club coupe.
Howell told officers that he drove
the car into the quarry about
4:30 Tuesday morning.
The car stalled as it slipped
down the bank of the old quarry
at the "dam site” within ten feet
Of H rr»n nf Qnnrovimoi-nltF 7K
feet into the bed of the old canal.
Had the machine remained on the
narrow ledge of rock and earth
between the canal bank and the
old quarry for a few feet farther,
it might have plunged into the
swirling waters of the canal below,
as he declared was his intention.
However, as the machine neared
the narrow ledge, it slipped down
the bank of the quarry away from
the canal bank and lodged against
some trees and on some outcrop
ping rock.
Howell is said to have stated
:hat he burned all the gas in the
;ank of the machine in an attempt
'O make it go the remaining few
.ecu
In getting to the edge of the
'anal, the car left the road that
}nds some 50 to 75 yards from the
ccanal bank and plunged through
he trees and over rock by and in
he path that leads to the bank,
rt was the wonder of the scores
>f spectators who viewed the car
before it was removed how the
Iriver managed to get the car to
ts final position. In order to get
t out, a new road was cut through
he trees and underbrush and rock
vas removed out of the path of the
nachine.
Evidence of- the car’s journey
lown the path pointed to the con
clusion that some expert driving
vas employed.
Fenders, doors, and glasses suf
ered damages, some of which How
ell is said to have admitted doing
ifter the car stalled. The machine
vas driven back to the city after
ibout a dozen brawny Negroes
vith the aid of a wrecker lifted
md pulled it out of its resting
'lace. White Motors, Inc., from
vhom Howell purchased the car in
ite February, was in charge of
Ietting the machine out.
Howell was placed under bond
'uesday for attempting to destroy
ersonal property.
Northampton
PTA Council
Met Friday
The Northampton County Coun
cil of Parent Teacher Associations
met in the Seaboard school audito
rium Friday afternoon, April 11, at
3:00 o’clock with the president,
Mrs. R. H. Johnson, in the chair.
The meeting opened by a prayer
from Mrs. J. L. Futrell. Words of
welcome and praise for the sup
port given the legislative program
were spoken by Principal F. O.
Birdsall, and local president, Mrs.
C. L. Vick, and were responded to
by Mrs. Johnson, who gave a
round-up of the year’s work.
After a report from Secretary,
Mrs. A. R. Martin, and represen
tatives from the different local u
ntis, it was discovered that Sea
board led in membership with 115,
while Conway ran a close second
with 101. Jackson reported an av
erage .in local attendance of 75 men
and women. Study groups and
Founders Day had been observed *
in nearly all associations, and no
table activities and money raising
projects were reported by all.
Rich Square is compiling an inter
esting history of its local P. T. A.
Seaboard, through the help of its
planning Council, is engaged in an
extensive community inventory
and preparations for a Commun
ity Day Festival.
After a program of dance num
bers by Vivian Kirkland and June
Hfl mlvn Vi'plr a nrl o oaIa Kir T .51..
lian Ruth Yates, Mrs. Johnson I
introduced the speaker, Mr. H. I
R. Harriss, who was a member of
the school committee in the gen- i
eral assembly. Mr. Harriss, unlike
“a blustering politician”, explained
in his quiet way, measures adopted
or discussed in the past legis
lature. Those present gained a
more thorough understanding of
the school through his discussion
of: Appropriations, 12th. grade,
retirement, increment, library ap
featsGrower •
A RACING CAR WHEEL HAS
BEEN CHANGED (and the car
SERVICED)
yiS^TTSl^.
FbC SPRING
OIL-CHANGE
GEr
propriations and textile schools
and trade schools, school bus oper
ations, consolidation of adminis
trative units.
Mr. Johnson brought to the
associations Mrs. Easterling’s mes
sage of preoffered service. She
urged attendance at the conference
to be held in Asheville, May 22
and 23.
The report of the nominating
committee was accepted with the
following as officers for another
year: President, Mrs. R. H. John
son, Conway; Vice-president, Mrs.
J. L. Futrell, Rich Square; Secre
tary, Mrs. L, H. Martin, Rich
Square; Treasurer, Mrs. C. L.
Vick, Seaboard.
Mrs. Johnson insisted that her
resignation be accepted, so a
president will be elected at a
later date.
The president, in an impressive
installation service charged the
new officers with their duties
for the coming year and the
audience pledged their cooper
ation.
Negro Woman
Shoots Man In
Arm And Neck
Firing several shots with a .32
calibre revolver at Prince Knight,
Weldon Negro man, Louvella
Jones, Weldon Negress, sent her
victim to the Roanoke Rapids
Hospital last Saturday night.
Two of the bullets took effect
in the arm and neck of the Negro
man. The bullet in the neck en
tered the left side and lodged
beneath the flesh near the spinal
column. Neither were considered
serious wounds.
Knight said in the hospital this
week that he and the woman
were engaged in an argument
when she started shooting. After
he was shot, he wrested the
weapon away from her, he said.
The woman was arrested and
placed in jail Saturday night.
When it's an uphill pull
...pause and
When you're completely refreshed, you're
ready to go. Everybody welcomes the
happy after-sense of complete refreshment
which ice-cold Coca-Cola always brings.
So when you pause throughout the day,
make it the pause that refreshes with ice
.. - r . . YOU TASTE ITS QUALITY
cold Coca-Cola.
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